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Edmond, Oklahoma

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Edmond, Oklahoma
City
Location of Edmond, Oklahoma
Location of Edmond, Oklahoma
CountryUnited States
StateOklahoma
CountyOklahoma
Area
 • Total87.9 sq mi (227.8 km2)
 • Land85.1 sq mi (220.5 km2)
 • Water2.8 sq mi (7.3 km2)
Elevation
1,204 ft (367 m)
Population
 (2000)
 • Total68,315
 • Density802.4/sq mi (309.8/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
73003, 73012, 73013, 73025, 73034, 73083
Area code405
FIPS code40-23200Template:GR
GNIS feature ID1092492Template:GR

Edmond is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area in the central part of the state. The population was 68,315 at the 2000 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state of Oklahoma.

The city limits are located on the northern border of Oklahoma City. Two major highways connect Edmond to downtown Oklahoma City: U.S. Route 77 (the Broadway Extension), which runs through the center of the city, and Interstate 35, which runs along the eastern side. Public transportation is provided by Citylink Edmond bus service.

The current mayor of Edmond is Patrice Douglas.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 87.9 square miles (227.8 km2), of which, 85.1 square miles (220.5 km2) of it is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2) of it (3.19%) is water.

Awards/image

  • Edmond is listed as one of the "Top 100 Places to Live in 2007" by "Relocate America".
  • "Universal Publications of New York" recently named it "America's best small town".
  • The city is known for taking great pride in its "Edmond, America" image.

Criticisms

  • Edmond has been criticized by some citizens for being a city without much of a nightlife and for not having a larger selection of recreational activities and opportunities. [1]
  • Edmond's public transportation has been criticized for the fact it does not cover a large area and runs only a few routes at very few select times. Edmond is a relatively large city and a vehicle is often required for transportation, as the public transportation is limited.
  • Edmond police department has been criticized for being extremely intolerant, rash, and intrusive on the privacy and rights of it's citizens. [2] [3]
  • Edmond has also been criticized for it's high concentration of wealthy people with some calling Edmond an elitist city. [4]
  • Edmond is also home to a Purina dog food plant, a plant often producing a foul odor next to Broadway Extension.
  • The City of Edmond was criticized by some citizens, especially residents of the Fox Lake neighborhood, for allowing Wal-Mart a building permit on land adjacent to Fox Lake. Wal-Mart deforested and bulldozed a large area of natural habitat, once home to deer and other wildlife, to build a supercenter on E 15th & I-35. [5]

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 68,315 people, 25,256 households, and 18,588 families residing in the city. The population density was 802.4 people per square mile (309.8/km2). There were 26,380 housing units at an average density of 309.9/sq mi (119.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 86.58% White, 4.04% African American, 2.27% Native American, 3.26% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.90% from other races, and 2.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.75% of the population.

There were 25,256 households out of which 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.9% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $54,556, and the median income for a family was $65,230. Males had a median income of $46,833 versus $28,231 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,517. About 4.4% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

History

Edmond, Oklahoma Territory, 1891. Drawn by T.M. Fowler.

Being the highest point along the Santa Fe rail line in Oklahoma Territory, Edmond was originally named "Summit" and was a watering and sanding point for the railroad in the 1880s. The town was given its current name (after an engineer on the railroad) by the Santa Fe railroad headquarters in Topeka after the Oklahoma Land Run of 1889. Though most of the remnants of the old railroad infrastructure are gone, the Santa Fe, now BNSF, line still runs through the same course. The first school house in Oklahoma is in Edmond and still stands as a historic monument at 2nd Street and Boulevard. The first church in Oklahoma, St. John's Catholic Church, is still in Edmond, although not in its original building.

Recreational amenities

  • Arcadia Lake
  • Festival Market Place (or also known as Farmer's Market)
  • Kickingbird Golf Course
  • Coffee Creek Colf Course
  • Fairfax Golf Course
  • Rose Creek Golf Course
  • Oak Tree National - golf course
  • Mitch Park Disc Golf Course
  • Pelican Bay

Parks

  • Bickham-Rudkin Park
  • Brookhaven Park
  • Centennial Park
  • Chitwood Park
  • Clegern Park
  • Dog Park
  • E.C. Hafer Park (or simply just Hafer Park)
  • Fink Park
  • Gossett Park
  • J.L. Mitch Park(or simply just Mitch Park)
  • Johnson Park
  • Kelly Park
  • Meadow Lakes Park
  • Penick Park
  • Shannon Miller Park
  • Stephenson Park
  • Ted Anderson Park
  • Westborough Park
  • Whispering Heights Park

Events

Edmond was the site of the post office massacre on August 20, 1986, in which fourteen people were killed and six wounded by Patrick Sherrill, an ex- postman who then committed suicide. This event was the first in a string of postal employee murder-suicides throughout the U.S. A memorial to the victims of that tragic event currently stands outside of the U.S. Post Office in downtown Edmond.

Edmond is the home of Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller, who is the most decorated American gymnast. She won five medals (2 silver, 3 bronze) in the 1992 Summer Olympics and 2 gold medals at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Interstate 35 is known at the Shannon Miller Parkway from the Memorial Road exit to the Logan/Oklahoma County line.

The city was also the subject of a U.S. Supreme Court case in which a Christian cross was depicted on the city seal, raising issues concerning the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution. In May 1996, the Supreme Court let stand a Federal Appeals Court ruling ordering the city to remove the cross from the seal. A replacement icon has yet to be agreed upon, resulting in the curiously vacant spot on the city's seal.

The memorial service for famed Oklahoman baseball player Bobby Murcer was held in Edmond on August 6, 2008, at the Memorial Road Church of Christ. Among the some 2,000 attending the memorial were Reggie Jackson, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and then-Yankees manager Joe Girardi.[6]

Education

Elementary schools

  • Angie Debo Elementary School
  • Centennial Elementary School
  • Charles Haskell Elementary School
  • Chisholm Elementary School
  • Clegern Elementary School
  • Clyde Howell Elementary School
  • Cross Timbers Elementary School
  • Deer Creek Elementary School
  • Ida Freeman Elementary School
  • John Ross Elementary School
  • Northern Hills Elementary School
  • Oakdale Elementary School
  • Orvis Risner Elementary School
  • Prairie Vail Elementary School
  • Rose Union Elementary School
  • Russell Dougherty Elementary School
  • Sunset Elementary School
  • Washington Irving Elementary School
  • West Field Elementary School
  • Will Rogers Elementary School

Middle schools

  • Central Middle School
  • Cheyenne Middle School
  • Cimarron Middle School
  • Deer Creek Middle School
  • Oakdale Middle School
  • Sequoyah Middle School
  • Summit Middle School

High schools

Universities

Private schools

Awards for schools

Cheyenne Middle School became a blue ribbon school in 2009 Central was the selected middle school in Edmond to receive a large amount of activity and excitement for the Oklahoma Centennial celebration in November 2007.

  • Deer Creek Middle School became a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence in 2002.
  • Edmond Memorial High School became a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence in 2001.
  • Edmond Memorial High School was named the Siemens Foundation 2007-2008 award winner for the state of Oklahoma. This award is given to one high school per state, and only .033 high schools in the nation, in recognition of outstanding performance in AP math, science, and technology. [7]
  • Edmond North High School also became a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence in 2007.[8]

Public art and landmarks

The City of Edmond is making efforts to promote public art, through many "statues, murals, stained glass, steel sculptures," etc.[9]

On July 4, 2007, the City inaugurated a bronze statue of Nannita R.H. Daisey, pictured to be the first woman laying claim on Oklahoma land in the first (1889) land run.[10]

Notable citizens

Sources

  1. ^ http://www.thelostogle.com/2010/02/11/page-3-why-your-city-sucks-edmond/
  2. ^ http://www.topix.com/forum/city/edmond-ok/TLPH1J9EIC9P8P2PN
  3. ^ http://www.thelostogle.com/2010/02/11/page-3-why-your-city-sucks-edmond/
  4. ^ http://www.thelostogle.com/2010/02/11/page-3-why-your-city-sucks-edmond/
  5. ^ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-151617377.html
  6. ^ Bob Hersom (2008-08-06). "Late Yankee slugger Bobby Murcer's life celebrated in Edmond". NewsOK.com.
  7. ^ EdmondSchools.Net (2007). "Edmond Memorial Wins Prize". Retrieved 2007-01-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "2007 Blue Ribbon Schools" (PDF).
  9. ^ Edmond Convention and Visitors Bureau (2007). "Oklahoma history cast in bronze". Retrieved 2007-10-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ Houghton, Jaclyn (2007 March 13). "Oklahoma history cast in bronze". Retrieved 2007-10-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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